Can I use any smartphone as hotspot for my ipad2 ?

usually, what type of smartphone is it?

 

If the smartphone has an hotspot feature, yes.
You can't connect via bluetooth (for example some older BBs).

 

As long as it creates a wifi hotspot, yes.

 

it also depends on your carrier and your data plan....

 

yup you can! all depends on the plan you get and who your carrier is. My GF has T-Mobile and there was no extra charge to use the phone as a hotspot. Just uses up your data, but very handy if you just have a wifi iPad, like we do.

 

You can bluetooth tether an iphone to an ipad. I don't see why you couldn't with another one. I will try my nexus later and post back.

 

With an iPhone it works. With other smartphones (I have tested two BBs and a Samsung) it doesn't.

 

Depends on the smartphone. If this is dealbreaker for you then make sure before you buy. It's like buying anything else: buy based on your needs/wants/preferences/budget/etc. Don't just assume.

Nope. Consider that countless WiFi access points don't run IOS and work just fine with IOS devices (as well as other clients running different OS's). WiFi is WiFi.

 

Really? doesn't hotspotting just create a WiFi zone? Surely it doesn't matter which device makes it?

 

BT does not. You connect like you do a headset.

 

Most smartphones have the ability to tether by default, but some carriers have it as a locked feature. You'll have to the take the tethering plan to be able to turn on tethering on your phone.

Like AT&T iPhones require that you get a tethering plan, the option to tether is already on your phone, you just can't do it unless you have the plan from AT&T.

One last resort type of option you can do is jailbreak it and download a tethering app. But that's only if you know what to do and what you're getting yourself into. If not, don't. Just get a plan.

I tether my iPad via my jail broken iPhone.

 

There's a free app on Android that does not require you to root called Foxfi so if your smartphone is android based, this app works on making it a hotspot no matter if your carrier locks the hotspot feature or not.

 

Do you have a Cell Phone and looking to upgrade to a Smart Phone so you can use it as a Hotspot?

I'm asking because if you don't have one, sell the iPad 2 and upgrade to iPad 3 with LTE.

Using the Samsung Galaxy S3, I got for my mother cost me $75 after Costco rebate and on a three year contract the Voice & 6GB Data is $70 a month. The 6GB was just a promotion, usually it's only 500MB-2GB.

Rogers & other Canadian Carriers iPad/Tablet plans are only $30 for 2GB for Data and it's month-to-month, you can also get 500MB for $15.

This is a cheaper alternative, seriously who uses Voice to make calls. Everyone is (on Data) using iMessages, Facebook, Twitter, E-Mail & Forums.

 

I have a tmobile Samsung galaxy S 4g, and I use my hotspot/wireless tethering for my new iPad all the time. I was staying in a hotel for a week that had horrible wifi, had both my iPad 2 and my new iPad connected to my hotspot at the same damn time, worked flawlessly.

 

+10 for Foxfi. Works like a champ.

 

It will not work. The Bluetooth tether runs specific iOS software on both devices. It's does not implement a standard bluetooth protocol.

 

Why tether with bluetooth? That seems like a major waist of power and speed!

I would get a iphone with t-moble for hotspoot. best bet you can get.